RATSVILLE (Ooops, Birdsville)

Submitted: Monday, Aug 22, 2011 at 20:01

ThreadID: 127565
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Dingley Deserters

We are currently at Birdsville with 4 other vans.
If coming be preparded with anti rat concoctions (we have Naptholine sachets).
Location, turn right approx 100 mts town side of bridge coming from town about 500 mts in.

Hi Dingly Deserters,
we have just returned from crossing the Simpson Desert with our Tvan - from Mt Dare to Birdsville. We too have experienced large numbers of mice and rats. When in the Birdsville caravan park, we were advised that rats / mice had eaten the wiring and other rubber / plastic components of several vehicles in the Bedourie and Boulia areas. Apparently some vehicles had to be towed away for wiring repairs as they could not be started.

As an emergency solution, we used insect spray [Baygon] as it was all that was available. Even then we had some rubber parts in the engine bay nibbled.

We have had varying stories of looms being eaten etc, some say that petrol is more preferred than diesel. We have got about 6 in 1 trap tonight and a couple in a bucket with a stick, bottle and bait, although a couple have managed to get back out of the ss bucket. It's become areal sport, shanghais (gings) are also accepted but a little harder to win with.
We carry on with the fight.

I am reliably informed by an old bushie here that rabbits can be kept away from the veggies by a mixture of urine and water 50/50 sprinkled around the outside of the veggie beds. Worth a try on rats??

Just thinking about it ...........set up a test vehicle and then have the men do a 'willie waving' ceremony followed by a stake out to count the number of rats breaching the 'Pee barrier'. To make it more interesting ......... how about a round of drinks for all contestants (except the rats) each time a rat makes it over the line?

A few weeks ago, we were at Boulia for the camel races that weren't
There were several reports of rats eating wiring.
We have the ultimate deterrent, and have had no problems with rats.
We travel with Charlie the famous no-eared-CAT